The distraught family of a man who was gunned down in a Wolverhampton pub made an appeal for calm after a weekend when gun crime was again in the spotlight in the Midlands.

The mother, sister and brother of 26-year-old Luke Harris also paid tribute to the father of two, who was killed with a single gunshot wound after an incident in the early hours of Saturday at the Bagot Arms, in Newhampton Road West, Whitmore Reans.

In an unconnected incident, the following day police found a fatally injured man lying in a pool of blood at a house in Rodway Close, Newtown, Birmingham, after they were answering reports of shots being heard in the area at 9.45pm.

The murder - which is the second fatal shooting in the area in the past three months - has led to urgent meetings between police chiefs and community representatives who aim to prevent tit-for-tat killings in inner city Birmingham.

The family of Mr Harris made a heartfelt plea for people to "unite as one" against gun crime. Speaking at a press conference at West Midlands Police headquarters in Birmingham, his brother, 28-year-old Matthew Campbell, said: "Words cannot express how we feel.

"I want everyone in Wolverhampton to unite as one and forget about guns, the weapons and knives. Words cannot express the hurt that my family is going through.

"Find your conscience and put down your guns and your knives."

Mr Harris’s sister, Natasha Harris, added: "I would like to thank God for the life of my brother. His life will not be in vain. Changes will be made.

"Our forefathers did not come from Africa for this. If we do not speak out against this we are as guilty as the killers."

His mother, Barbara Harris, said: "My son, Luke Harris, was a loving and caring son. He covered every department and everywhere he went he was loved."

Police investigating the death of Mr Harris revealed at a news conference that they know the men responsible for the killing, and that they argued with the victim only hours before the murder.

Det Insp Simon Richards, heading the inquiry, said Mr Harris had been seen arguing with two men in the Goalpost pub near the Molineux football ground shortly after midnight on Friday.

He said: "Luke left the Goalpost and went to the Bagot Arms. The two men arrived shortly afterwards and there was another argument, possibly involving Luke.

"The pair were not formally ejected but were persuaded to leave. A shot was fired from the rear door as they left and Luke was hit in the chest."

It has also emerged that Mr Harris had cheated death before after being blasted at close range in Chervil Rise, Heath Town, in 2001.

Three men went on trial for the attempted murder of Mr Harris, who leaves behind two young children aged five months and 15 months. However, that trial was abandoned following claims that witnesses were being intimidated.

Appealing to the two men to hand themselves in, DI Richards said: "I know who I am looking for. The offenders are two mixed-race black males.

"The first is around 5ft 6in tall and was wearing blue clothing on the night. I believe he is in his late teens to early 20s.

"The second was a bit taller, around 5ft 10in, in his 20s and wearing dark clothing. I am actively looking for these two individuals. "I am not naming them at this stage but they know who they are and I know who they are."